Cistern-cleaner.



Patented Oct. I, [90L Q mkii QQESAKOOG h 9 u Qes Ra e "saws m .m\

u K L- A.

mama. 04 c,

J. RUNKLES.

CISTERN CLEANER. (Application filed m 6, 1901;;

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JAMES RUNKLES, OF NORRIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB G. HANSON, OF SAME PLACE.

CISTERN-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,804, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed May 6, 1901. Serial No. 59,010. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES RUNKLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norris, in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Oistern-Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Well and cistern cleaners, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which is arranged to remain normally at the bottom of the well or cistern, so as to collect the sediment, and also capable of being withdrawn from the well for the purpose of removing the sediment therefrom. It is furthermore designed to facilitate the lowering of the device into the well and also to have the same snugly fit the walls thereof when it has reached the bottom and is in its normal position, so that the cleaning device practically forms the bottom of the well, and finally to provide for slightly contracting the device during its elevation, so as to prevent the same from scraping against the walls of the Well.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional View of the bottom portion of a well or cistern, showing the presentdeviee being lowered into the same. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the device in section and also in its normal position at the bottom of the well. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified arrangement of the device, parts being broken away to show the hinge in the bottom thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the connection between the elevating device and the hangers of the bucket or cleaning receptacle.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the side walls of a well or cistern, within which is situated the present cleaning device, whichis inthe form of a bucket or receptacle 2, having a closed bottom and an open top. The sides of the bucket are formed in opposite sections 3 and 4, the adjacent edges of which are slidably overlapped, as best indicated in Fig.

3 of the drawings, and are provided with a slot-and-pin slidable connection 5 to prevent 6o separation of said sides. It will be understood that the sides of the bucket are formed of metal and are designed to have a slight movement toward and away from each other,

so that when being lowered into the Well the strain upon the sides of the bucket will draw the same inwardly, thereby contracting the width thereof, in order that it may not scrape the walls of the well, and when the bucket reaches the bottom of the well and the strain is removed the sides spring outwardly to snugly fit the walls of the well, and thereby catch all sediment and large objects which may fall into the well.

For convenience in raising and lowering the bucket there are provided the opposite hangers 6 and 7, the outer ends of which are pivoted or hinged to the outer sides of the respective side sections of the bucket, as at 8, and arranged so as to lie across the upper edges of the respective sides, and thereby be supported in substantially horizontal positions and extending diametrically inward across the top of the bucket. The inner ends of the hangers meet at the longitudinal axis of the bucket, one of the hanger members having a fork or bifurcated end 9 and the outer end of the other member being loosely received within the fork and there being a pin or bolt 10 passed downwardly through alined slots in the fork and the other member, thereby forming a loose or hinged connection between the inner ends of the hanger members. To the upper projected end of the pin there is connected the elevating means, 95. preferably a cable 11, and a weight 12 is connected to the lower end of the pin, so as to insure the downward movement of the inner ends of the hanger members after the bucket reaches the bottom of the well for pushing the sides of the bucket outwardly in opposite directions to snugly fit the side walls of the well. As indicated in Fig. 1, it will be understood that when the bucket is being lowered or elevated the hangers will be drawn upwardly at their inner ends, thereby drawing the sides of the bucket inwardly to decrease the size of the bucket, whereby the latter is prevented from scraping against the sides of the well. The sides of the bucket are provided with one or more rows of marginal perforations 13 for the escape of the water when the bucket is being drawn upwardly.

In Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 there has been illustrated a modified arrangement of hangers, there being a pair of hanger members connected to each side of the bucket and connected at the longitudinal axis of the bucket in substantially the manner hereinbefore described, one of the members having a fork and the other members being received within the fork. Furthermore, this form of bucket has its bottom made in opposite half-sections 14 and 15, which are connected by a hinge 16, so as to fold upwardly when the bucket is being lowered or raised, the bucket sides being connected solely to the respective bottom sections, so as to move therewith, and the ends of the slots in the side sections forming stops for en gagement by the pins to limit the opening and closing of the bucket. A false bottom 17 is provided within the bucket and lies loosely upon the main bottom, so as to close any openings which may occur by reason of the hinge.

What is claimed is' 1. A well and cistern cleaner, consisting of a bucket or receptacle, having oppositelymovable side sections to contract and expand the bucket, hangers hinged to the respective side sections, with their inner ends mutually overlapped and provided with corresponding openings, a pin passed loosely through the corresponding openings, a weight connected to the lower end of the pin, and an elevating device connected to the upper end of the pin.

2. A well and cistern cleaner, consisting of a bucket or receptacle, having opposite independent side sections, which are slidably overlapped, and have opposite pin-and-slot connections, the end walls of the slots forming stops for engagement with the pins to limit the outward and inward movements of the side sections, hangers hinged to the outer sides of the respective side sections and constructed to lie across the upper edges thereof in their normal positions, the inner ends of the hangers being loosely and mutually connected, a weight connected to the hangers, and an elevating device also connected to the hangers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES RUNKLES.

WVitnesses:

DANIEL WILLIAMS, A. (J. SHEPLEY. 

